The next morning the company discovers that Gandalf's horse ran off into the night, most likely scared by the wolf howls. So you give Gandalf your horse and take turns riding with your Ones, getting to know each little by little. Over the past few days the weather continues to turn grayer and grayer. This morning it was raining well before mid-day; the company had stopped to try to water proof as much gear as possible. When everything was set to go you walked up to Thorin, "Might I share a ride with you today?" you asked. You and Thorin hadn't talked much at all after the first day and your apology. You could tell he was a bit surprised at your request, he responded "It would be an honor." He climbs up into his saddle then helps you up behind him. You don't talk much while riding with him, but it felt nice to be close to him. You had pinned a small coil of multicolored string to your pants. You undid this coil and started to make a very complex friendship bracelet out of it. Letting your fingers fall into a calming natural rhythm of knotting you didn't notice yourself starting to lean forward until you were leaning on Thorin's back lightly. When you did notice you didn't pull away right away, you just sat there your forehead to the back of his shoulders feeling his warmth radiate from his body. "I didn't know you could purr, my dearest." Thorin murmurs quietly so only we could hear. You blush deeply, stop purring, and sit up straight quickly. Very embarrassed I turn back to my bracelet and don't respond to Thorin. It starts to rain again and you put away your string craft. You pull your cloak closer over yourself shivering a little and you sneeze once or twice. "Thorin… would it be alright if I... you know..." you say hesitantly as you press your forehead to his shoulder again. You see his head node yes and you move a little closer trying to stay warm. "Icarus, here." He says as he reaches behind and grabs your hand and pulls you closer so your arms wrap around his chest. You face heats up a lot, as you hug Thorin keeping each other warm. You feel yourself start to purr deeply as you slowly fall asleep on his shoulder.
You wake up a while later as the company comes to a stop near a burnt down farmer's hut. You release Thorin from your sleepy hug and accept his help dismounting the pony. You don't speak of what happened, you only thank him for sharing the ride with him. You help unpack the horses as Gandalf and Thorin talk in hushed voices some ways off from the camp. "Icarus you're in charge of keeping me informed when I return. I need to seek company with people who aren't dwarves!" Gandalf remarked as he mounted his horse and left. 'Great our wizard is gone and I'm in charge of magic.' You thought to yourself as you set up camp.
The rain had stopped so you help everyone lay out their packs to dry. Everyone worked in silence and you shied away from most of the others once everything was set up. Sitting under a tree near by focused on your little craft. You helped BomBur find left over veggies in the abandoned garden and helped chopped them up for dinner. As you were passing out the soup Kili and Fili kept giving you little looks. A little wink here or a little cheeky smile there, just enough to make you falter a little. You know the others saw you asleep on Thorin's shoulder, thankfully no one heard you purr as well. Dwalin noticed that Kili and Fili teasing you, "Kili and Fili go watch the ponies tonight." He said, they tried to argue with him but Thorin agreed, and they went off with a huff. BomBur gave Bilbo two bowels to take to Kili and Fili. You had a few bites of your share but there was a knot in your stomach and you couldn't finish. You felt uneasy, something was not right, something was going to happen. You uneasily pace around the tree you had been sitting under. The others felt your uneasiness and were silent. You stop suddenly and turn towards the sound of Fili and Kili running through the underbrush and bursting into camp. "Trolls! They took the ponies and we tried to get Bilbo to get then back and he was caught!" Exclaimed Fili, everyone was on their feet weapons in hand ready to follow the to the trolls and save Bilbo and the mounts. You grabbed your knives and stared to follow, but felt someone grab your arm, "No you stay here and watch the camp, we don't want you getting hurt." It was Thorin, telling me to stay put.
"Thorin I can help, I can fight!" You refute. But he is already gone into the underbrush leaving you alone at the camp. You can feel their anger as they fight the trolls. You walked around camp furious that they would tell you to stay behind. A few minutes later Gandalf shows up galloping into camp. "Where is everyone? They left you alone?" Gandalf inquires.
"Bilbo was taken by trolls trying to get out mounts back and everyone ran off to fight them. But they need more help now." You explained. He motions for you to follow him as he goes off into the woods. As you near the troll camp Gandalf tells you to climb a tree and stay out of sight until the time is right. Bilbo was trying to buy time but distracting the trolls with Spices and saying the dwarves had worms in their tubs. From the corner of your eye you can see Gandalf climbing on top of the bolder, "The day shall take you!" he shouted as he struck the bolder with his staff causing it to break in half, shining the sunrise into the Troll camp and causing them to turn to stone. You leapt from your spot in the tree and began to cut the dwarves lose with your knife. "Are you okay Bilbo?" You ask as you cut him free of the sack he was stuffed in. Before he could answer, Thorin cuts in furiously, "What were you thinking Mr. Baggins? You could have gotten us killed!"
"Well at least he had the head to try to bide his time over till sunrise and until I got Gandalf! Additionally, he isn't the one who lost all of our mounts in a single night. He just saved your lives Thorin, you could show a little gratitude." You retort back bitterly, "If anything more happened to any of you I would have jumped down from my branch well before Gandalf was able to help! Don't go blaming all this on the only one of you that had a head on his shoulders!" you yelled. How could he blame all this on Bilbo! You gave Bilbo your knife and stormed off back to camp to pack your bed roll. When the others returned to camp you were all packed and sitting on a log waiting to get on the road.
The company walk through the forest lead by yourself and Gandalf. We stopped near a stream to get water and adjust what was left of our packs. You walked downstream a little and walked in the river cooling yourself off and giving your bear feet a little relaxation. You filled your water pouch and returned to the rest of the company. You helped Bilbo and a few others adjust their packs. The company set off again, you talked with BomBur a little about cooking putting you in a much better mood.
There is a rustle of branches close by, you draw your knives as the group circles you and Bilbo moving forward. We burst through the underbrush and are faced with a very strange old man next to a sledge pulled by giant rabbits. "Ratagast the Brown! How wonderful to see you my friend." Gandalf exclaims as he goes over to greet his friend. "Gandalf! I have very importin news for you…Oh it's it's on the tip of my tough…" he said a little confused, be pulled a stick bug out of his mouth. Gandalf pull the brown wizard aside and talked in hushed tones, but not for long. An Orc scout comes dashing into the clearing. Kili shots it dead but not before it signals the rest of the pack. Your ears perk up hearing lots more in the distance, "Gandalf we need to go NOW, there is too many!" You declare in an urgent voice. Ratagast hops on his rabbit sled.
"Gandalf go I'll draw them off." He calls back as he races off. The company runs out of the woods into open rocky plains. You run in the middle of the company making sure everyone keeps up. Gandalf leads us up and around many rocks and out copings. We are finial surrounded pressed against a rock face. They come at us a few at a time swords clashing with Orc armor and Wrag pelt. Your blades flash and cut easily through their armor and flesh. We are pressed more and more into the rock face. Kili sits firing shot after shot into Orcs but not moving back to the rock face. "Kili get back here!" shouts Thorin trying to keep his nephew safe. But you can see a Wrag running up behind him. You sheath your blades and run head long for Kili shouting, "Kili get down now!" You reach him just before the beast does and you are able to stand over the dwarf and raise your right arm above your face shielding it. The Wrag's open jaw clamps around your raised arm and biting down hard lifting you off your feet and carrying you with it. You feel its sharp teeth pierce your arm's flesh and the strength of its jaw snap your arm in several places. You give a painful full lunged inhuman screech as your arm is crushed. The beast drops you as an arrow loges it's self in its eyes. You fall on your face, the rocks cutting deep above your eyebrow. Causing blood to gush down the side of your face. You get up as fast as you can and run back to the dwarves clutching your bloody broken arm close to you. "Quickly down here!" commands Gandalf there is a cave opening under the rock face that you can slide into. You run over and slide down into darkness. The dwarves and Bilbo follow you as does Gandalf. You pull your ruined head scarf off your head and gingerly wrap your broken are up tightly. You bite your shirt trying not to scream in pain as you try to stop the bleeding in your arm. Suddenly there are many dwarves trying to talk to you at once, you can't understand them. You're dizzy from blood lose and you begin to sway where you stand. "Can't stand…. dizzy… head… bleeding still..." you manage to say before you collapse into strong arms. You drift in and out of consciousness. You feel a bandage placed over the gashes in your forehead, your bag is taken from you and you are carried piggyback before you black out.